Const Law II: Constitutional Amendments in the United States and the World

• Semester: Fall 2023
• Course ID: 481C
• Credit Hours: 4
• Unique: 29159

Description

This course will focus on the design, history, practice, and theory of constitutional amendment in the United States. Students will explore key questions, including: (1) What does the US Constitution require for a constitutional amendment?; (2) Are there limitations on what may be amended into or out of the US Constitution?; (3) What is (or should be) the role of courts in constitutional amendment?; (4) What values are reflected in the architecture of the country's constitutional amendment procedures?; and (5) Why doesn't the US Constitution make anything unamendable, in contrast to many other countries in the world which protect human dignity, civil rights, and fundamental freedoms against amendment? Readings will be complemented by class visitors, including a Justice of a Constitutional Court and authors of some of the scholarly publications we will read and discuss. Evaluation will be based on a floating examination inviting students to answer their choice of open-ended essay questions relating to the central themes in this course.

*This course may be taken on a Pass/Fail basis by students who have fulfilled Constitutional Law II requirement. Any student wishing to take this option should seek approval by email to registration@law.utexas.edu.